


The Button

by Ruis



Category: Original Work
Genre: Deities, Other, Trickster Gods, Tricksters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-21
Updated: 2020-02-21
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:28:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22610047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruis/pseuds/Ruis
Summary: The god held the tiny button up in triumph. Nothing had stopped them: not the ingenious hiding place, not the enchanted yarn that rendered the button invisible to most eyes, not even Tiko’s expert lies delivered with indulgent smiles.
Relationships: Original Male Character(s)/Original Non-Binary Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 5





	The Button

**Author's Note:**

  * For [roguefaerie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/roguefaerie/gifts).



The god held the tiny button up in triumph. Nothing had stopped them: not the ingenious hiding place, not the enchanted yarn that rendered the button invisible to most eyes, not even Tiko’s expert lies delivered with indulgent smiles. They had maybe read the secret place from involuntary movement of Tiko’s eyes, or from a less than fully controlled hand movement; or so Tiko thought in hindsight.

Tiko had been learning a lot during the last few months, and a few buttons were not too high a price. The first, entirely unsurprising truth he had learned: it was impossible to lie to a god. Scripture was correct at least on that point. Of course, that did not keep Tiko from trying again and again. Who better to practice his lies on than a god?

At this point, he was sure it was even expected from him and would in fact alert the god that something was going on if, suddenly, he stopped. Also, he had to admit to himself that likely all those lies were part of his nature. After all, what else would have attracted the god to him in the first place? The second truth Tiko had learned: it was entirely possible to deceive a god nevertheless. 

Throwing the button in the air, the god laughed, winked at Tiko and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Somehow, they took the button with them without Tiko ever seeing them catch it. Tiko knew it was his turn now again to search. He was not sure what the rules were going to be this time, but he was sure he would figure it out. Thoughtfully, he lined his previous finds up on the carpet: a feather, a ruby, a rusty nail, a golden ring, a dried leaf of a plant he had never seen before. Where would they send him next?

Smoke and air had been his clues. Only Tiko’s experience in deception made him decide that the objects in front of him were entirely meaningless, at least to the entity that left them for Tiko to find. Hurriedly, he grabbed his jacket, ran up to the attic and from there climbed the rarely used ladder to the roof. The god was already waiting for him.

They did not speak for a while. Looking complacent, the god threw something that Tiko was barely able to catch before it could roll off the roof. Tiko laughed incredulously when he saw the large diamond in his hand. His ploy had worked incredibly well: a game of exchanging trinkets was sure to be a gain when your partner had no interest in or no knowledge of monetary value at all. For the first time, though, he was wondering. 

When, exactly, had he stopped caring? Or, rather, started caring: more about the company than about the trinkets... Maybe he was the one who had been tricked, after all. And still, when the god started juggling coins and marbles and shiny rocks, Tiko joined in gladly and without hesitation. He did not even look down when far, far, below the diamond shattered on the street. Instead, he caught his button, laughing.


End file.
